Just that my father got me into the habit of hiding important…stuff for easy access.”
Important “stuff” in her world included passports, car titles, but maybe with his background, he meant valuables like drugs and unregistered handguns—that sort of fun stuff.
He said, “Dad didn’t have safe-deposit boxes in banks, and we never trusted anyone. He believed in keeping ready cash and other things in case he needed to run. I hadn’t used my secret spot for years, but Elliot knew where I used to keep valuables in my apartment. He came to my place for advice about how to break off with the Espositos, and while I was distracted, he lifted my extra key. He came back when I wasn’t home and hid part of his stash in the false back of a bookcase. Some of the money and a coded ledger page tracking payoffs.”
“Why would he go to the trouble of hiding those things in your apartment rather than some spot of his own? It doesn’t make sense.”
“He left just enough to drag my ass into the fire, to get the Espositos to focus on me instead of him.” He glanced away from the road to scowl at her—angry because she was related to Elliot, or because he didn’t think she’d believe him?
She ignored his dark look and circled a hand to get him to keep talking.
He wiggled his shoulders as if he tried to get comfortable, then leaned forward over the wheel again. So much nervous energy flowed through Nick, he didn’t seem able to relax.
“Someone broke into my house, presumably because they’d been tracking Elliot, and found the evidence, which makes me think maybe Elliot somehow secretly tipped him off where to look. Anyway, I had no clue about any of this until I got a warning or something from Elliot, a text message. I went looking for your brother and found this guy at his apartment instead.”
“Did you know the man?”
He shot her a scowl. “No. I told you, I haven’t been in that world for years. The guy knew me though. Bert had given him my name, maybe my description, who knows. It didn’t end well. I think he must have been hired help because Bert didn’t mention him later on, after the guy, um, disappeared.”
A chill ran through her at the word “disappeared”. Could Nick have killed the man? She wanted to ask what had happened, but instead said, “So you came looking for Elliot in Wisconsin?”
“There’s still over four mill in cash missing, some in small denominations. That much money is sort of tough to cart around everywhere. Not impossible, but not simple.”
She gasped. He sounded so casual. Four million might not be a lot to him, but she suspected it was more than she’d earn in her lifetime.
He went on. “No one came knocking at my door after that first guy, but Bert Esposito let me know that if I could track down the money and evidence, I’d have a better chance at survival. That was a few weeks ago.”
“Survival? They’d kill you?”
He hesitated, then nodded. “Elliot’s in trouble. I’m in trouble, and now, dammit, so are you. I told Bert to give me some time, and he agreed. But after that I dropped my name and life. I saw what Cesar did to my dad and if I didn’t succeed… They’ll be after me. I probably have hours to find the rest of that ledger or whatever it is, and the money. Delivering Elliot to them would be a bonus, but that’s not going to happen.” His teeth worried his bottom lip. “Bert’s probably using his own guys on this job. A contractor may show up too.”
“Contractor?”
“Hired killer.” He sounded as casual as he had when talking about the four million bucks. “I hope Bert or someone from New York comes west, which they will after your little chat with Sandy. I can talk to someone from the outfit—if I find them before they find me.”
All of a sudden, Ames was very glad she’d hardly eaten anything at the restaurant. “Pull over.”
He glanced at her. “Huh?”
“Pull over now!” She clapped a hand to her mouth and urged her roiling stomach to hold on to its contents just a little longer.
Nick swerved to the berm, tires catching on loose gravel so the car fishtailed a little. Ames was out of her door and crouched over before the vehicle completely stopped. As she retched, she stared at a clump of clover and wondered if